‘Straightforward in the rules’ - Why Audi is protesting Monza F1 result
Why Audi is protesting the decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda at Monza.
Gabriel Bortoleto has explained why the Audi Formula 1 team is pressing ahead with its appeal against the FIA’s decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda at the Italian Grand Prix.
Tsunoda caused an extra formation lap ahead of the restart of the Monza race due to lining up in the wrong position in his grid box, resulting in the start being abandoned.
The Japanese driver was placed under investigation for the incident but the FIA’s stewards opted not to issue Tsunoda with a time penalty. The standard punishment for such an infringement is a stop-and-go penalty. If this cannot be served during the race, it is converted into a 30-second time penalty.
Article B5.9.4 of the F1 2026 sporting regulations states “any driver who caused an extra formation lap, and is then able to start the, or any subsequent, extra formation lap must enter the pitlane at the end of the lap and must start... from the end of the pitlane.”
Racing Bulls argued that Tsunoda was not out of his grid slot and that his positioning had no impact on his competitors. The stewards also noted in their verdict that FIA race director Rui Marques explained he threw the additional formation lap out of caution.
Due to this, Racing Bulls was not notified that Tsunoda was the official cause of the extra formation lap by race control, meaning he was not told to start from the pit lane.
Audi confirmed it had lodged an intention to appeal in the hours after Sunday’s race and is set to go ahead with its protest.
Tsunoda finished 10th at Monza, ahead of the Audi pair of Bortoleto and his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg in 11th and 12th respectively.
Given that the time penalty would move both drivers up one position each - and Bortoleto into the points - Audi stands to gain from any punishment dished out to Tsunoda.
And it is clear the German manufacturer believes it has a case for that outcome to become a reality.
“I think it’s quite straightforward in the rules and when a driver causes an extra formation lap he must start from the pit lane and in that case Yuki didn’t,” Bortoleto said ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
“So that’s the reason why Audi is appealing. We are appealing the result. For us, it counts as a point if we get the position so every points count. What’s right is right at the end of the day.”
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